Connect Airlines and Universal Hydrogen, a company that develops conversion kits to modernize regional aircraft with electric and hydrogen propulsion systems, have signed a letter of intent to collaborate in order for the airline to become the first to operate emission-free in the United States.
Connect Airlines, owned by Waltzing Matilda Aviation, is finalizing the certification process and expects to begin scheduled passenger operations in 2022. The agreement with Universal Hydrogen seeks to drive regional zero-emission flights starting in 2025, based on the order of 24 conversion kits, 12 are firm for Dash 8-300 aircraft and purchase rights for 12 more for other aircraft types.
Universal Hydrogen will not only install the kits on Connect Airlines aircraft but will also supply green hydrogen for the company’s entire fleet. This partnership is undoubtedly a major step in the process of decarbonization of the industry, especially through an agreement between the companies that secures the conversion and supply of fuel.
Hydrogen is produced through a process called electrolysis, a method that uses water, natural sources, and electrical energy to split water molecules and separate hydrogen atoms from oxygen atoms. Through this process, fuel is generated that emits no emissions during production or consumption and has up to three times the energy content of conventional fossil fuels.
John Thomas, CEO of Connect Airlines, celebrated the agreement with Universal Hydrogen for what it represents in achieving its goal of becoming the first zero-emission airline in the United States.
Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen, said, «The United States is behind in its decarbonization efforts, and the U.S. aviation industry is no exception. That’s why the bold step Connect Airlines is taking by being the first airline to commit to a zero-emissions operation in the relatively near term is so monumentally significant.»
Universal Hydrogen, founded in 2020, projects a carbon-free, flexible and cost-effective aviation future. It is currently developing a conversion kit to retrofit existing regional aircraft with an electric and hydrogen-based propulsion system. It has also developed a system for transporting hydrogen in modular capsules through the existing cargo network from production sites to airports around the world.
Connect Airlines’ support is helping to foster developments that aim to decarbonize the global aviation industry. In this regard, green hydrogen is one of the keys to the sustainable future of the sector.
